ב"ה
THEMES of Featured Contemporary Kabbalists Articles
Beginner
Harmony with G-d depends upon harmony between each other.
"Israel encamped there facing the mountain."
Rashi notes that, as opposed to every other encampment that included natural petty jealousies or arguments, they encamped at Mt. Sinai truly united as one. A person cannot hope to become a vessel for G‑d's Torah unless he truly loves his fellow; G‑d's presence cannot dwell amongst discord and fighting. |
The Torah must be implemented in the physical world.
The Ten Commandments are introduced by the
words: "G-d then spoke all these words, saying…"
The Maggid of Mezritch explains that one of the two verbs used in this verse alludes to the Ten Statements with which G-d created the world; the second alludes to the Ten Commandments. G-d gave the Jewish people these commandments in order that they be implemented within and affect the physical world created through His ten decrees. |
A finite creature's ability to procreate an infinite chain of generations derives from G-d's infinity.
The first five of the Ten Commandments focus on our relationship with G-d, the second five on our relationship with our fellow human beings. Honoring parents, the fifth commandment, is placed in the first category since honoring parents, who are partners with God in creating life, is synonymous with honoring G-d.
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By bowing to Jethro, Moses elevated natural wisdom to the realm of the Divine.
Moses embodied divine wisdom, whereas Jethro embodied natural, worldly wisdom. By declaring that all this knowledge led ultimately to the acceptance of G‑d's wisdom, Jethro paved the way for the Giving of the Torah. By bowing down to Jethro, Moses elevated natural wisdom and accepted it into the sphere of divine wisdom.
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When one sits down to seriously learn Torah, he is not just reading an ancient text; he is accessing G-d’s essence in a most intimate way.
We continue to actualize that moment of infinite potential on Mt Sinai over three thousand years ago through constant involvement with G-d’s Torah; through innovation, we enter into this eternal dialogue and forge a unique personal relationship with our Creator.
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Studying the Torah and fulfilling its commandments enable us to contain the transcendent Divine consciousness.
"I am G-D, your G-d."
The normally transcendent name Havayah will now become the immanent, operative power within every Jew. This fact enables us to overcome whatever obstacles the natural world poses to fulfilling our Divine tasks. In other words, we can "go out of Egypt" precisely because "G-d is our G-d." |
